Sarah Male, AKA The Mummy Trainer

In honour of Womens Health Week, I sat down with Sarah Male, the Gold Coast mum of two on a mission to educate and support women return to exercise post-partum. You probably know her as The Mummy Trainer. 

Sarah Male reminds me of my mum, in a cool, old-school, back-to-basics, simple-living way. She's also incredibly kind, caring & nails the mum-style multitasking. Although her business is young - her third baby - Sarah has had a clear vision from the start & since it's launch she has had consistent client intake, and a positive response to her programs. Back-to-basics is at the heart of The Mummy Trainer. 

I talked to Sarah, founder of the Mummy Trainer, on how she manages a new business with a 3 year old & 10 month old, how she stays healthy, and how she manages to still get solo time (she created a hardcopy schedule with her husband, Brent). Sarah’s house has a wholesome, disney-tunes-in-the- background, feel to it. The slow-cooker is filled with chicken casserole, and a freshly made fruit platter has caught the attention of Jordy, her 3 year old son, who’s patiently waiting to request a lamington. 

Sarah is the epitome of cool, calm and collected. While we chat at the kitchen counter, Sarah balanced Ella on her hip, while keeping an eye on Jordy perched on the kitchen stool. While we talk and Sarah reflects on the evolution of her business, she’s also affectionately listening to Jordy’s 3-year-old chatter. His persuasive argument for another lamington is met with Sarah’s counter offer; strawberries & cartoons - happily accepted as a win. 

The Mummy Trainer is a back-to-basics approach to getting educated and active post-partum. 

Like all things that work, Sarah's programs are designed from IRL experience. When Sarah was ready to get back to exercise after Jordy, she followed the available literature & got back to fitness after 12 weeks, unfortunately she was laid up with injuries that required physio rehab. Her health wasn’t an issue - she just didn’t know the small signs and symptoms to look out for. 

As an active person Sarah believed in the capabilities of her body, but as she explains here, there is a different approach to fitness post-partum. As a first time mum with a new baby, she says that time was really tough. The Mummy Trainer programs and PT is Sarah’s way to help mums return to fitness in a healthy, positive way. 

Sarah began an online PT course when she went on maternity leave with Ella. A lot of late nights studying, Sarah completed her cert III and IIII in Personal Training Plus advanced education in early and advanced postnatal training. The Mummy Trainer was launched after Ella arrived. Sarah’s commitment to education is quickly establishing her as the go-to for of postnatal fitness. 

Sarah’s Program, Phase One_ Returning To Exercise, is where it all begins. An educational approach to fitness postpartum focusing on simple anatomy, defining what’s what, with the choice to watch videos or quietly read incase baby is sleeping.

Sarah’s home gym in Varsity on the Gold Coast is a simple space with the essential equipment - complete with a play corner and baby bouncy, with room for a pram. “Some days, my clients come in & they're exhausted - I can see it, I get it! I'm a mum too. So we have a chat, how was their night, is baby sleeping, are they sleeping.. All of this is really important.

My programs and exercise are progressive, I focus on internal strength before we even talk about the external movements. Progressing from a wall push-up to a floor plank is a huge achievement when you’re returning to exercise & that's a realistic expectation.” 

The early stages of returning to exercise is a combination of pilates and Sarah’s own creative exercises to strengthen the core muscles specific for postpartum rehabilitation.

“I try not to focus on 'get your pre-baby body back’, because that's the quick-fix, and I don’t want women to put pressure on their body image. I want to focus on a safe return and just do it gradually with progression, and when you add nutrition as well - which is in the program, everything falls into place.

I know their limitations & how far to push them, so we go as far as we can go that day & whatever that is, that's ok. " 

Sarah gives mums an option to do a simple food diary; Record what they had during the week and on the weekend to see where they might need any tweaks. “One of the things I noticed is that women are not eating enough, I always recommend breast-feeding mums have a couple of extra serving sizes throughout the day. These are minor changes but over a few weeks they make the biggest difference to mental and physical health.” 

Now, 5 months later, Sarah is conquering her personal and professional goals; her own fitness is better than it’s ever been, she’s happy and heathy, and Phase One of Return to Exercise is helping women to return to exercise in a safe way. Sarah and Brent are putting the finishing touches on Phase Two of Return to Exercise, while she works on Return to Running. Just like Phase One, the focus is always on education. Chapter One of Phase One is educational, so mums can start even before they get the ok from their doctor. 

“I love learning & have so many things I want to do to raise awareness for the health issues women face as new mums, things that aren't really spoken about. Physically, a woman can look fine but internally she's no where near ready to get back to moving - at least not how she used to.“

The Mummy Trainer is a healthy, back-to-basics approach to health and fitness designed by a woman, for women. It’s empowering and honest. You can subscribe to Sarah’s Return to Exercise Program on her website www.themummytrainer.com. 

In Home Consultations include the Return to Exercise program and are 90 mins, normal PT is 60 mins, or you can join Sarah for Group PT at Burleigh for 45 min classes. 

Keep an eye out for Return to Exercise_ Phase Two, and Return to Running.